


I Couldn't Stay

by theoneandonlylittlebird



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Stargate Universe
Genre: Anyelle, Crossover, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 16:30:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8674576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoneandonlylittlebird/pseuds/theoneandonlylittlebird
Summary: When Rush learns that some who went to the planet intend to stay, he is afraid Belle will be among them.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheNaughtyScandalousScorpio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNaughtyScandalousScorpio/gifts).



She was unloading a tray of seedlings for hydroponics when he saw her. Rush swallowed convulsively in a suddenly dry throat. His gaze fixed on her hands as she gently settled the tiny plants. Rush could almost smell the air getting fresher by the minute. A sense of living, of vitality washed over him. He could not speak just yet, just watching her there.

It was not as if he had not had fresh air since leaving Icarus Base, being off-ship happened more often than he thought convenient. But since she had left the Destiny for that lonely planet, a spark, a vivaciousness had been absent from his life.

It was not the plants and nature he missed. He remembered rose gardens and well manicured grounds at universities. His memory served him sufficiently for those longings. This longing was different.

She had earth on her fingers and she cradled the brilliant green shoots with such care. He never knew she had a green thumb. He might have done had he taken the time to get to know her before their precipitous departure from Icarus. But while they had worked together in passing, or even when their work intersected directly leaving them head to head for endless hours, he had never really looked up from his work. He had not the time for such things.

Not that he did now either, Rush reminded himself.

But he was still staring and she had planted six tiny plantlettes while his breath had caught in his throat and his heart thundered.

"You're in the way, Rush," Scott groused from behind, startling him.

Rush vacated the doorway and let the lieutenant pass. Once moving, Rush found himself drawn to her.

"Dr. Rush!" Dr. French smiled brightly at him when he passed into her peripheral vision, "I really should plant all of these before I can get back to work. It should only be an hour or so, then I'll get cleaned up."

The earnestness of her promise left his mouth hanging open for half a second as he met her gaze for the first time in a month. 

"No rush," he murmured.

"Yes there is, he's standing right in front of me." Dr. French nudged his boot with her own and smiled a tiny hint of a smile.

Rush felt his eyes crinkle just a little and he shifted his feet. "You want a hand? It'll go faster."

"You have time?"

He scoffed softly, "Of course not. But I've been at it for the last thirteen hours and the sooner you're through here, the sooner I can get your help."

"Well that makes perfect sense, then." Dr. French smirked.

He sat down on the edge of the planter with the tray of sprouts between them. 

"Do these all go here then or do some go elsewhere?" he asked her, practical as always.

"They all go here, mind the spacing so their roots don't crowd." She always seemed to know something amusing he did not, with that little quirk of her lips.

They planted steadily in silence for about ten minutes. Rush barely registered the conversations of the others as they tended to the other planters, giving and receiving direction, talking and laughing about their time on the planet.

It was Dr. French who broke the silence between them, "I don't think you need my help anywhere near as much as you want to put your hands in soil. I think you needed that, after being stuck up here for so long while we got fresh air."

"Perhaps I did," he answered her softly.

Neither looked at the other but they both reached for the same seedling and their hands bumped gently together. Dirt scraped against his skin at the contact of her fingers, cool and wet and gritty. His heart started beating faster again. 

"Sorry," she muttered, seemingly embarrassed from the pink rising in her cheeks.

"No matter," he replied but he did not go back to planting immediately. "Why didn't you stay?"

"On the planet?"

"Yes, you were so enthusiastic about going and you always volunteer for trips off ship. Unless I miss my guess, you miss sunlight and growing things. Wouldn't be doing this work if you didn't." Rush could not look at her, "So why come back? I was certain you would be among those who decided to stay."

He could not swallow around the rock lodged in his throat.

"Nick," she whispered his given name for the first time, "look at me."

At her voice he had to comply.

"I think you know why."

His eyes stung at her assertion, but he could not look away from her entrapping blue gaze. When he spoke at last, his voice cracked around the words, "Do I?"

He drew a hasty breath when her hand covered his.

"If you didn't before, you do now." 

Her voice flowed over him like warm treacle and he turned his damp and dirty hand over to twine his fingers with hers experimentally. She did not pull away.

"Perhaps I suspected, hoped."

"We should finish this up," Dr. French said squeezing his fingers, "and then..."

Rush found himself nodding and returning the gentle squeeze.

All pleasure at having his hands in soil forgotten, Rush picked up the pace of his planting and so did she.

"We've accessed a new section of the ship while you were away," he said as Dr. French seated the last of the seedlings, "would you like to see it?"

She smiled, "I believe I would."

With the last of her plantlings in its new home, he and Dr. French cleaned their hands and walked silently out together. Neither of them had said a word while they finished, but he had been caught looking at the slight upward curve of her mouth. He had noticed her likewise watching him, but she, unlike him, made no attempt at surreptitiousness.

Rush felt an urgency in his steps as he led her away from the ebullient crowd in hydroponics. She easily kept pace with him, still absent conversation until they were alone in the lift.

"Weren't you even tempted? To stay?" Rush asked her dispelling the quiet susurration of the lift.

Dr. French turned to fully face him, "Tempted? No. Did I love being there? Yes, very much, but no, I wasn't tempted."

Still not satisfied and not feeling secure in her earlier implications, Rush persisted in a gravelly whisper, "Why not?"

Dr. French stared up into his eyes. They were like blue hot springs. Whomever had deemed blue a cold color had never seen Dr. French's eyes like this. 

For a moment, Rush could not bring himself to breathe, what would she say? Had he said too much? Pushed this fragile and unnamed alliance beyond her willingness to participate? Why had he started this conversation in a lift?

But then she smiled at him, "I had things to do here. There was never any real question in my mind. That planet was a welcome respite, a vacation, but it was not a place to drop anchor. Our anchor is somewhere else." Dr. French looked past him as her gaze turned inward and her hands sprang to life to illustrate her point, "Our anchor is out there somewhere, maybe it is getting back to Earth, but maybe not," she looked back at him, "Destiny could be our anchor, I don't know, but I am not one to leave things unfinished, unexplored. There are just too many mysteries left to be discovered. And I need that in my life much more than I need the warmth of an alien sun and no chance of something more."

Rush found himself smiling whole heartedly at her, "Then," he said gesturing to the now open lift door, "after you, Dr. French. Mystery awaits."

Her megawatt smile sent his heart skittering and stumbling as she passed by him. He could still smell the outdoors on her clothes, in her hair. How long would that last?

Maybe he did miss planetary life, just a little.

Rush followed her as she poked into each of the cavernous store rooms opposite a beautiful gallery of windows on the starboard side of the ship. FTL streamed by outside dreamily. 

In one such room several identical robots squatted in neat rows.

"I can't wait to figure out what these are for," she exclaimed.

He caught her infectious smile without the slightest resistance. "Me too."

At the end of the corridor a force-field sparked across a mostly closed doorway.

"It looks like part of the auxiliary battery is in there, another thing to eventually repair." Rush murmured as she craned her neck to see through the ajar door into the space beyond.

Dr. French turned around suddenly, before he was able to make room for her movement and she collided with him, stumbling. Rush pulled her against him instinctively to keep her from falling backward into the force-field.

"Thank you," she said softly. Had she clutched him a moment longer than necessary? Or had that been him holding her beyond propriety? Rush felt his face heat up.

"You're welcome," he replied stiffly, "I'm afraid the rest isn't as exciting as all of this. It's just another bank of crew quarters pretty much identical to where we are currently housed."

Dr. French looked at the deck plating with a frown of disappointment.

"But," Rush said on inspiration, "One of the cabins has an excellent view of the bow."

Her eyes leaped back to his face, "Shall we go and see, just because?"

With raised eyebrows, Rush nodded and led the way to the cabin he remembered.

Why, upon arrival, was his heart racing? The exertion simply did not account for it. He slapped the door opener and ushered Dr. French inside before he could think better of this. When had he decided that a hand on her back was not intrusive and inappropriate? Rush tried not to think about it as he steered her gently toward the far wall and the promised view. If she thought it impertinent, she would pull away.

She did not pull away.

He stepped up behind her, "It's not a huge window, but because this cabin is on a corner, I guess the Ancients didn't worry about standardization with the opportunity of a good view on the line."

Why did she not say something? Perhaps she did not find it impressive as he had.

It was the heat he noticed first. They were close, closer than he had planned for. Was she leaning back toward him? He would have startled if their reflection had not alerted him to her hand reaching for his.

Clean of soil, her hand was soft and warm. He could feel calluses that had probably developed from the hard physical work of her last two months. Her back settled against his chest and her head fitted itself under his jaw.

Rush forgot entirely what he had been planning to say as they gazed out at the expanse of the Destiny. Her hair smelled like moss and- when had he started nuzzling his nose into her locks?

More importantly, why had she not pulled away?

He opened his eyes to see in their reflection that hers were closed. She leaned on him, fitted against him like the last algorithm in a sequence. His quickened breath ruffled her hair and Rush took a chance.

Rush allowed his free hand to come around her middle and pull her close as he curled around her.

It seemed unreal to him that this was actually happening. The work since arriving on the Destiny had occupied every synapse he had and all the ones he had had to grow in the meantime, and yet, here, in this quiet moment something else had grown, something soft and warm and nothing of metal and math.

"Mmmm." Dr. French hummed as her body relaxed into his. "I missed you too, Nick."

"Belle!" Nick half cried into her hair before his lips began fervently pressing kisses to her hairline. "I was so certain, when I heard that some wanted to stay, that you would be first among them."

His beard was carding her hair free of its messy bun as he spoke between feathery kisses to her crown.

"I couldn't stay," Belle slowly turned to face him a hand coming to stroke his beard.

Rush heard his half sob before he could get it in check. The last person to put their hands on his beard had been Gloria. She had told him how fortunate he was to have fine hair as it left his face soft and luxurious instead of prickly. It seemed that Belle concurred.

She searched his eyes with her own and her parted lips trembled just a tiny bit, "Now prove you know why."

Her quiet urging removed any last doubts.

He settled one hand at the base of her spine and the other behind her head. Rush took his time making his intent abundantly clear. His eyes fluttered closed a second after hers did and he brushed his lips against hers, lingering a moment before he felt her mouth seek more of his. Heat rushed everywhere as their lips pulled them softly closer. He opened at the same time she did and tentative tongues grazed tenderly together. Rush moaned softly into her mouth and pressed her tighter against him.

He could feel her breasts against his chest and he had no doubt she could feel the heat and pressure below his belt against her abdomen. For her part she had a fist full of his vest and a hand anchored in his hair.

Quiet slippery noises and hushed groans dispersed into the small room.

When the movement of her hips met with his, Rush realized this simple first kiss had gone beyond his intentions and he felt quite out of breath so he gently pulled back to lean his forehead against hers.

"Belle." That was all he could think to say.

"Nick," she breathed his name in answer.

They said nothing more while their hands wondered. His through her hair and hers through his and again over his beard.

Close as they were, Rush could feel it when Belle started to chuckle.

"What is it, sweetheart?" he whispered. Sweetheart? When had Rush ever said that in his whole life? No matter.

"It's just that," Belle stopped and Rush opened his eyes to see a flush rising on her cheeks, "It's just that I haven't had a shower in a month and I, we. I just-"

Rush chuckled then, "The line for the showers was impressive after you got back. I missed my usual time too."

"If this deck of crew quarters is similar to ours," Belle pulled back just enough to look up at him shyly, "Do you think we could skip the line?"

Rush felt his own face flush but he kept his cool, "Provided they work, I think that is an excellent suggestion, Dr. French."

Belle gave him a full-fledged smile and took his hand in hers, "I think we should make it our priority to assess the functionality of the newly accessible shower facilities, Dr. Rush. To enhance the productivity and health of the entire crew."

"That could be time consuming, Dr. French, as we will need to be thorough. Are you certain your other duties can spare you?" Rush pitched his voice low and nipped her lips quickly before she could respond.

Her breath came in gusts against his cheeks and she murmured, "Mine can if yours can."

"My duties," he growled, "include chivvying a group of uninspired, sniveling chimpanzees using the Destiny as a typewriter into some semblance of order, on a good day. On a bad day, it's all I can do to prevent them from throwing fecal matter at each other while I keep the ship from blowing up. So, yes, Dr. French, I am quite certain they would be delighted to spare me."

"I won't tell the military you think their primary function is flinging feces, seeing as we only have bad days and worse ones around here." Belle was smiling.

"I'd like to make this a better day, if you're willing." Rush whispered to her in earnest.

"It already is, and yes, I am willing."

If she had more to say, Rush did not hear it because he was fiercely kissing her one moment and dashing out the door with her hand in his the next.

Belle slammed the door to the showers closed behind them and keyed the door lock. He could see her chest heaving from their exertion and he knew his was as well. Her eyes flicked behind him to the shower. He nodded and punched in the settings he preferred. It activated.

Their elated laugh echoed briefly filling the room with the joyful sound.

By the time he turned back to her, Belle had half the buttons of her borrowed fatigues undone and she stopped to give him the what-are-you-waiting-for look.

He followed suit. His vest hit the bench near him, the undershirts were less lucky and landed in a heap on the floor while he attacked the laces of his boots. By the time he shucked his pants and underwear, he was mostly hard. Looking up finished the job and he sucked in a shaky breath at the sight of Belle pulling down her pants and underwear at a go.

She had elegant curves from the back of her neck over her bottom and down to her dainty dancer's feet. He could see the thatch of hair between her thighs as she liberated her foot from the cuff of her pants and then stripped the other sock. Her foot rested momentarily on the bench giving him enough time to reach her, and, from behind, rub his already hot sticky head along her folds.

Belle cried out and arched back against him. Her hand seized him and rubbed his end over her firm little hood. It was he who cried out at her grasp this time; even this first friction between them felt all but unbearably good. He began to bite and suck at her exposed neck as she continued to rub them gently together. 

He felt her begin to tremble and shake so he palmed her breast firmly, kneading to her wordless keens. Rush had to steady his own breathing to keep it together. He simply would not cut this short by getting distracted over Belle rubbing herself off on him. With his other hand, Rush began smoothing gentle circles low on her belly. Their ragged breathing mingled with the gathering steam. Rush wondered if they would even make it to the shower or if it would be the bench they christened first. 

He was trembling too before she released him in favor of her fingers.

Pants and gasps alerted him to how close she was getting as she clenched his hot length between her thighs while she worked. Taking exquisite care of her sensitive nipple, he rolled it between his fingers and alternately pulled it taut away from her body. She broke with a cry and he felt her stomach muscles convulse rhythmically for a long moment.

"Oh gods, Nick! Oh my gods," Belle panted.

"Belle!" he gasped as he spun her to face him for a series of gentle kisses which left them both gasping for air. The feel of her hard nipples against his chest caused him to thrust uncontrollably against her belly a few times before she finally broke them apart to drag him into the shower.

The heat of the mist enflamed his already tingling nerve endings and by the way Belle had a hand massaging her own breast, she felt the same. A moment later he had her back pressed against the glass and his mouth had replaced her hand. Rush loved the feel of her peaked nipple against his tongue and he sucked with uninhibited pleasure to her sighs and moans of enjoyment.

"Nicholas, inside, please, inside!" He wondered how long she had been imploring him, so swept away was he on the textures of her breast.

She opened the way for him by running a foot up the back of his calf. He only had to squat a little to line them up before they ended up thrusting together at the same time. Nick might have preferred to take his time slightly more in joining with her, but he was encased completely in heat, and wet and soft and she had both legs around his waist. He pressed her against the wall of the shower while his hips quivered erratically adjusting to the sudden sensation.

Belle clutched his shoulders and gave harsh moaning pants in his ear while they became accustomed to each other.

He whispered when he could, "Ok?"

"Yes, oh yes. Gods Nick! You're just so, oh..." Belle did not finish but instead began rolling her hips experimentally. His hips jerked upwards in response without any thought on his part.

Much as he wanted to take her pinned to the wall, Rush was a slight man accustomed to the rigors of math and not so much weightlifting. He would not be able to hold her for long.

Thankfully he could carry her to the shower bench and he did so. The angle shifted as he sat down with her in his lap and he slipped from her a little, but she made certain that did not last.

With a roll of her hips and, if he were being honest with himself, some rather artless thrusting of his own, they came to a rhythm. Rush found her breast again with his mouth as she arched against a deep thrust and he sucked with abandon until he felt her clenching around him and her cries echoed around the room.

Rush gave a coarse howl as instinct took over and he thrust wildly within her to hot, spurting completion. Both whimpered in one another's hair as the shaking and jerking subsided leaving them to clutch each other, rubbing and soothing all the skin they could reach.

"Why did we wait so long for this?" Belle whispered to him.

"Because-" Rush cut himself off, "no, no excuses, because I neglected things that are important to me, just like always. Belle, I will never be other than a lot of work, as they say. I've never been good at making time for what truly matters."

"We will manage. Besides, I think we will both be able to work better now that we can," Belle paused to suck the shell of his ear, "relieve certain pressures as needed."

"Undoubtedly," Rush pulled her from his ear to kiss her with all the tenderness he felt as the steam enveloped them.

It was another two hours before they emerged, hand in hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to TheNaughtyScandalousScorpio for this 100 Follower Celebration prompt. This is my first AnyElle, thanks to her. I'm SO glad she asked for it. I hope you liked it. Since this prompt was so much fun, I might just be willing to accept more. If you want to prompt something, you can follow me on tumblr @theoneandonlylittlebird.


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